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Ronnie O'Sullivan is making a swift return to The Crucible this month for 'quite a lot of money', Barry Hawkins has suggested. The Rocket has already graced Sheffield this year, with the seven-time world champion having progressed to the last-16 of the 2026 World Snooker Championship. However, his absence from The Crucible is expected to be brief. The 50-year-old is scheduled to compete at the World Snooker Seniors Championship, which begins later this week.

When questioned about his motivations for entering the tournament, O'Sullivan's former rival Hawkins has suggested that a substantial financial incentive and his passion for snooker have lured him back. Speaking to 247Bet, he said: "It's unusual that Ronnie's playing in the Seniors, but I reckon he must be getting paid quite a lot of money to be there. He's obviously been invited there to promote it, so I'm sure he'll be getting a nice appearance fee.

"I was a bit surprised to see him get involved, because he's got such a big build-up for the World Championship, and he'll have been putting himself through the wringer with the practice for that, and it's another thing he'll have to dedicate his time to.

"Although at the Seniors, he will just be under less pressure. It will just be a bit of fun for him, so maybe that's the reason why he's having it. He can just enjoy himself after the gruelling possible 17 days at the Crucible, at the proper World Championship."

O'Sullivan has regularly hinted at retirement in the past but Hawkins does not believe that it is on his agenda any time soon.

He added: "You'd have to put Ronnie as the favourite, especially in the sort of form he showed at the World Open. Although there are plenty of great players who are going to be in it.

"Ali Carter, Stuart Bingham, and Matthew Stevens, to name just a few. The table at the Seniors looks like it's got bigger pockets too, which may be a bit more of a leveller for the other players."

While O'Sullivan has repeatedly dropped hints about hanging up his cue, Hawkins is unconvinced that retirement is anywhere near the top of his agenda.

He added: "I don't think he will be thinking about retirement. I think Ronnie simply loves the game. It gives him structure and routine in his life.

"We all saw in China that he's still been practicing hard behind the scenes, and from what I understand, he's going to give it his all for the next few years and will be trying to get himself back out of this so-called lull he's been having for the last three or four years.

"I know that when he moved to Dubai, it was for tax reasons, so he was only back in the country for so many days of the year. That may have factored into the number of events he's played in. So I think maybe after this year, that will all finish, and he'll be allowed to play in more events again."